The cooking smoke curled upwards.
Orange-red flames surged through the jungle, and a pot of mushroom soup was placed over a burning bonfire. Next to it, a barbecue rack held fragrant roasted meat.
Tender and juicy roasted meat dripped golden oil.
It sizzled from time to time.
“Lord City Lord, what exactly are you planning? Can you tell me? I’m scared!” Crouched by the bonfire, the Vice City Lord, Ke Lai, hugged his knees, his eyes full of panic. He cautiously scanned the surroundings of the jungle.
They had obtained the grain, yet they weren't leaving.
Although purchasing the grain had incurred a considerable expense, it had at least solved their city’s grain shortage. The city had ample various resources, and there was no need for external procurement in the short term.
Even if the city’s finances weren't substantial, it could still operate smoothly.
But then—
Chen Yu actually wanted to pull off a hijacking!
“Don’t worry, what is there to fear with the City Lord here?” Chen Yu used chopsticks to remove the cooked roasted meat from the grill and placed it on a plate, pushing it towards Ke Lai. “Just settle down and fill your stomach.”
As he spoke, Chen Yu held the bowl of mushroom soup and took a sip, exhaling warmly.
No matter when, he couldn’t help but praise his own cooking.
He had simply picked some mushrooms in the jungle, washed them with water, and tossed them into the pot with a random sprinkle of seasonings, yet the mushroom soup turned out so delicious.
The juicy roasted meat was also cooked to perfection, rich but not greasy.
After finishing the bowl of soup in a few gulps, Chen Yu stretched his shoulders and looked around, a hint of impatience in his eyes.
Too slow!
He had deliberately camped here, fearing that those people wouldn’t be able to catch up. They were carrying the 4.5 million gold coins they had just earned from him.
Judging by their demeanor and attire, their identities were not ordinary.
Their pockets were surely full.
If he could rob them, even if it couldn’t double the wealth of Fengqi City, it would at least be enough to pay the citizens’ wages for a few days.
More importantly, keeping them alive would allow for future extortion.
“Hurry up, if you delay any longer, we won’t be able to get back to the city tonight,” Chen Yu said, leaning on one hand and looking around, muttering to himself.
Suddenly—
“Shh!”
Chen Yu, who was looking impatient, froze and subtly raised a hand towards Ke Lai.
The gentle breeze rustled through the trees, causing the leaves to whisper. Faintly, from the depths of the jungle, the sound of scattered footsteps could be heard approaching Chen Yu and his group.
“They’re here.”
Nodding towards the jungle, Chen Yu whispered to Ke Lai.
“Don’t say anything rash.”
Immediately, Chen Yu noticed Ke Lai’s trembling hands as he held the soup.
“Why are you shaking? Weren’t you quite steady back at the camp? Now you’re scared. Don’t embarrass yourself, alright?”
Ke Lai, with his lips tightly pressed, remained silent, gripping his right wrist with his left hand to force himself to stay calm.
He was terrified!
He wasn’t afraid at the camp because he believed that Loma and his men wouldn’t make a move until they saw the money.
He felt secure.
Now, they were here to rob resources, and they would surely hide their identities. It was possible they might even silence them all.
Why wouldn’t he be scared?
“Lord City Lord, are you so sure it’s Loma and his people?” Ke Lai whispered with a serious tone. “Could it be that Mi Ye’s people have caught up?”
“What kind of brain do you have? Do you think that’s possible?” Chen Yu frowned.
It was clear that Loma’s parting words were a setup for him to reclaim the grain later, thereby clearing their names.
If Ke Lai truly believed that, Shi Shi would have messaged Chen Yu saying it was Mi Ye’s doing.
Misdirecting the blame.
Then the money would be theirs, the grain would be theirs, and Fengqi City’s grievances would fall upon Mi Ye. They would gain all the benefits.
Even if you took a step back, how could it be such a coincidence?
As soon as Chen Yu and his group obtained the grain, Mi Ye’s people would immediately pursue them. This situation could only arise if Mi Ye and Loma were also in league, having discussed their roles before Chen Yu and his group came to buy grain.
If that were the case, Chen Yu staying here to hijack them would be perfectly fine.
None of them were good people!
“Don’t think so much. You can’t escape now anyway. Just eat your meat peacefully and pretend you know nothing,” Chen Yu muttered with a frown. “This time, we’ll catch them all in one fell swoop.”
With Chen Yu saying that much, Ke Lai said no more.
He silently lowered his head and gnawed on the roasted meat.
At this moment, a group of people wearing hoods were moving through the jungle in the darkness. Wisps of tantalizing aromas drifted into their nostrils with the breeze.
“It smells so good!”
“I feel like that smell is coming from ahead. Could it be that Ke Lai and the others are over there?” The hooded person pointed towards the direction of the faint firelight. “It should be there. What are they eating that smells so good? Just smelling it makes my stomach feel empty.”
“Exquisite roasted meat.”
The leader, a hooded person, grunted.
“Fengqi City’s high-end food introduced not long ago. A piece of roasted meat weighing 300g costs 30 copper coins, but I must say, the taste is truly exceptional.”
“300g of roasted meat for 30 copper coins? That’s too expensive!”
“It’s not too expensive. I’ve eaten that kind of roasted meat. The taste and texture are top-notch, comparable to delicacies costing hundreds or thousands of gold coins in the royal city.”
“What?!”
“This should be considered a very cheap delicacy. I just don’t know how this roasted meat is made,” the hooded person grunted. “If we could master the method of making this roasted meat, we could earn a fortune just from this alone. The City Lord of Fengqi City is foolish. With this kind of technology, if he opened a shop in the royal city, he would likely earn much more than being this lord of a small city. The people in the royal city are very wealthy; even if the price were raised to 3 gold coins, someone would be willing to buy it.”
“In that case, Young Master, you plan to capture them alive?”
“Nonsense!”
The hooded person directly pulled off his hood and glared.
“Are you suggesting we kill them? That’s the Vice City Lord of Fengqi City. If he really dies, we’ll be mortal enemies with Fengqi City. Although Fengqi City is insignificant now, the Great City Lord there is very wealthy. Who can guarantee he won’t hire mercenaries from outside on a whim?”
“Keeping Ke Lai alive also leaves us a fallback.”
“We’re after their wealth, understand?”
It must be said that Loma’s thinking was quite clear, as he deeply understood the consequences of Ke Lai’s life or death.
“You are right, Young Master. If we capture Ke Lai, we can use his life to threaten them for the recipe for the roasted meat…” The subordinate, wearing a hood, grinned and responded. Loma raised his hand and slapped the back of his head. “Useless! Can’t you have any ambition? The Vice City Lord! Are you a bandit or a pig to want a roasted meat recipe?”
“But… didn’t you say that having this recipe is more profitable than being a city lord?”
“But you must also understand your identity. We are robbers now, murderers who kill for wealth, and hired by Mi Ye…”
“Hired by whom?”
Suddenly, a playful whisper echoed through the jungle.
Dozens of well-dressed and well-trained warriors rushed out from the jungle, and in less than half a minute, they had surrounded Loma and his men.
Loma frowned, and when he saw the person leading them.
“Mi Mu, you… why are you here?”
“Why can’t I be here?” The woman standing at the front, clad in armor, smiled faintly. Standing there, she looked like a female warrior goddess. Her clear eyes gazed lightly at Loma, who looked somewhat flustered. “Count Luka is quite calculating. I clearly stated that I would not participate in the grain matter, yet you went to great lengths to drag me into it? Using my name to commit arson and robbery outside, making Fengqi City view me as an enemy. Is this behavior not a bit too improper?”
“How do you know this? How did you get here!” Loma shouted.
“If you don’t want anyone to know, don’t do it.”
Mi Mu watched him quietly. Loma suddenly turned to look at the people around him.
“It’s you guys…”
“Young Master, it’s not us!” The hooded person shook his head frantically, but Loma’s eyes turned red, and he swung his sword. “Don’t lie to me again!”
As the sword fell, the hooded person was instantly decapitated.
Seeing this, the other hooded individuals retreated in panic. Loma gripped the still-dripping blade, his eyes frantically scanning his surroundings.
Mi Mu couldn’t help but laugh, a look of enjoyment on her face.
“Beautiful, truly beautiful!”
“It’s just your mind, though. You’re still a bit behind your father, Loma. Do you think it was the people around you who leaked the information? Do you think it only takes a few hours to get from my subordinate city to here?”
“Brother, your sister has been waiting here with an ambush for you!”
Upon hearing this, Loma immediately reacted.
There were eyes within the city!
Moreover, these eyes held a high position within the city.
Thinking of this, Loma almost instantly wanted to use his wristband to send a message to Loma, but the moment he raised his hand, a flying knife shot from Mi Mu’s hand, severing Loma’s entire arm.
“Ah…”
A scream of agony erupted from Loma’s mouth. Mi Mu slowly walked forward, bent down, picked up his arm, and gently patted Loma’s face with it.
“What are you trying to do? Inform your father?”
“Sister advises you not to meddle too much. Wouldn’t it be better for your father to live a little longer? Otherwise, if you send this message, I’ll have to send troops to attack your father’s city.”
“That would be too troublesome!”
“I haven’t finished dealing with Hailuo Si yet. Before I finish with him, don’t add to my burden, alright?”
“Mi Mu, you’re finished!” Loma said, his face pale, looking into Mi Mu’s eyes. “Other people know about your actions now. They will definitely relay the message back, and you…”
“Which people are you referring to? Are you talking about them?”
Mi Mu narrowed her eyes and smiled, tilting her head. With a thudding sound, dozens of people who had lost consciousness and were emitting electrical arcs fell to the ground.
These people, without exception, were all involved in this grain hijacking operation.
“Didn’t your father tell you about me? Your sister has always been meticulous in her actions,” Mi Mu said, smiling as she patted Loma’s cheek. “Everyone who was mobilized this time is lying here, not a single one missing.”
“My father won’t let you go!”
“Let me go?”
Mi Mu suddenly grabbed Loma by his collar, narrowed her eyes, and stared at him for a long moment.
“Your father can barely protect himself, so who is he going to let go of?!”
“Brother, do you really think your father, Loma, is the king of Hurricane City? It’s just that your sister hasn’t made a move yet,” Mi Mu snorted, patting her armor with her fair hand. “I remember all of you cities and all of your city lords. After Hailuo Si is dealt with, I will visit you… one by one. Your father, Loma, will be the first after Hailuo Si!”
Perhaps due to the immense mental shock, Loma’s eyes widened, and he suddenly fainted and fell to the ground.
Mi Mu looked coldly at him lying on the ground, a brilliant smile suddenly appearing on her face as she gazed towards a spot in the jungle.
“I apologize for letting the two of you witness such a spectacle.”